Akshay Kumar said he will go back to 'masala' films if Samrat Prithviraj fails, reveals Chandraprakash Dwivedi

Akshay Kumar's latest film Samrat Prithviraj has been a colossal failure at the box office as the Yash Raj Films production has only managed to gross around Rs 65 crore at the box office. The historical drama, based on the life of Indian medieval king Prithviraj Chauhan, has reportedly been made on a massive budget of Rs 200 crore.

Now, its director Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi has revealed in a recent interview that the Bachchhan Paandey actor once said to him that if Samrat Prithviraj doesn't work at the box office, he would go back to working in 'non-controversial masala' films such as Housefull and Rowdy Rathore.

Speaking to Navbharat Times, the director said, "I remember Akshay told me personally and even in interviews that ‘I was making Rowdy Rathore and Housefull. These films pay me more. I made an attempt (with Samrat Prithviraj). If people reject this, then no worries, I will go back to Rowdy Rathore. People want to watch things which have no controversies. Then that is what I will do'".

Dwivedi, who has earlier helmed films like Pinjar and Mohalla Assi, also talked about how the film's failure affect its makers as he added, "If a film flops, the producers become disheartened. This is the first historical film Yash Raj Films made. If this becomes successful, they will make more. Otherwise, they have been regularly making films. They will go back to doing what they were".

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Apart from Akshay Kumar, the film featured former Miss World Manushi Chhillar as Princess Sanyogita making her Bollywood debut. Sanjay Dutt, Sonu Sood, Ashutosh Rana, and Manav Vij played the pivotal roles of Kaka Kanha, Chand Bardai, Jaichand, and Muhammad Ghori in the film.